Flexible shaft winding tool



March 21, 1944.

c. F. HOTCHKISS, JR 2,344,917 FLEXIBLE SHAFT WINDING TOOL Original Filed Jan. 18, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 21, 1944. c o clss, JR 2,344,917

FLEXIBLE SHAFT wmnme TOOL Original med Jan. 18, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 21, 1944 FLEXIBLE SHAFT WINDING TOOL Clarence F. Hotchkiss, Jr., Binghamton, N. Y., as-

signor to Stow Manufacturing Company, Inc., Binghamton, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application January 18, 1943, Serial No. 472,770. Divided and this application October 7, 1943, Serial No. 505,349

5 Claims. (Cl. 5711) This invention relates to an apparatus and method of manufacturing flexible shafting of the type wherein a central core or wire is Wound with one or more successive layers or convolutions of a plurality of wires with the successive layers or wire coats layered up on the core usually composed of a plurality of proper gauge wires and successive layers are usually wound in opposite directions.

An object of the invention is the construction of an apparatus whereby exceedingly long lengths of flexible shafting may be wound up in a semiautomatic manner. That is, the present machine is capable of forming lengths of shafting several hundred feet long and instead of requiring a long building similar to a. rope walk the apparatus is considerably compacted whereby a. length of shafting twice as long as the building may be wound.

A further object of the present apparatus the formation of flexible shafting starting with a central core and winding a layer of wire thereon, together with the placing of successive laycrs over the first wound layer. In operation, the

core or previously wound shaft is fed from a reel whereby succeeding layers are applied to the ro- I tating section.

A still further object of the present apparatus isthe novel construction of a winding tool and adjacently positioned winding head whereby the central core or initially wound cable is rotated on its axis to smoothlyand tightly appl a layer or coat of wire thereto and simultaneously ad- Vance the wound shaftin'g therethrough.

semi-automatic flexible shaft winding machine for carrying out the features of'this invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in cross-se'ction of the winding or Wire layering tool per se. illustrating the manner in which the successive layers of individual wires are wound upon the This general construction is disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 472,770, filed January 18, 1943, entitled Apparatus and method for making flexible shafting. The present application is a division thereof and is directed to flexible shaiting forming machine and a winding tool therefor whereby a plurality shafting core or initially wound shafting;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows; and Fig, 4 is a similar vertical section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2. It is believed that a general statement and explanation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 will be of assistance in understanding the advantages and Operation of the apparatus as a ,whole'before describin the machine and its associated parts in detail.

Referring to Figure 1, the apparatus comprises generally a rotatable storage reel I carrying a core or previously wound shafting 3 and connected thereto by a swivel 5 is a further length of the core or initially wound shafting I. This section 1 extends over pulleys 9 and H with intermediate supportin rollers 13 and, thence, around pulleys l5 and 11-. The periphery of the roller i1 is at such a height that the core or wire passing thereover and to be wound is fed directly through a winding tool generally denoted by the numeral 19. A plurality of wires 2| carried on a supply stand 23 are fed into the winding tool 89 where they are wound upon the initial shafting 1 as it is drawn through the tool. Axial rotation is given to this entire section of core I and wound section I15 through the medium of a winding head 25. The head 25 imparts rotary movement to the sections 1 and I15 of the shafting and simultaneously pulls or feeds the wound shafting therethrough, the linear movement of the unwound and wound portions of the shafting being indicated by the direction arrows. The previously wound length 21 attached to the Wound portion 875 of section 1 passes over pulleys or drums 29, 3| and 33 to a storage reel 35 posi tively driven by motor 31 and it will be obvious that the swivel 39 between these sections prevents the axial rotative movement between the section of the shaftin being wound and the previously wound portion Z'Ithereof passing'to the storage reel.

In the prior art, flexible shafts have usually been wound by stringing up a core and manually carrying along the core a perforated die plate through which Wires are fed to lay on the successlve convolute layers. Attempts have been made to eliminate these manual operations and to create automatic or semi-automatic machines for carrying out these steps but until the advent of the present invention these prior attempts had not solved the practical difficulties involved particularly those encountered in forming larger diameter flexible shafting. As before stated, this apparatus permits a length of central core: wire or a shaft which has been initially wound to be drawn and twisted during its passage through the machine, whereby a continuous, smooth, tightis separated from the remaining material on the reel I by a swivel 5, so that the entire length of the core or initial shafting I to be operated on turns on its longitudinal axis without imparting rotation to the portion 3. Swivel 39 prevents rotation between wound portion'2'I and wound portion I of section I.

The winding head 25 and winding tool or die I9 are mounted intermediate the lower pulleys I5 and I 7 on a fixed base and are contiguous to each other. The winding head 25 through which the section 1 and wound portion I75 is drawn and rotated is positively driven by a jack shaft I (ll suitably connected by belts or other powertransmitting means to a motor I 99. The jack shaft is supported in antifriction bearings I 02 mounted in the supporting frame I I 3. The winding head accomplishes two purposes, namely, th rotation of the shafting whereby the wires 2| feeding through winding tool I9 are layered up or' wound upon the core or initially wound shaft and, secondly, the drawing through or imparting linear movement to the shafting as the winding progresses.

The draw plate or wire laying tool construction forming the present invention consists of an exteriorly threaded adjustable bushing I89 mounted in a holder I8I and maintained in any fixed desired position by set screw I82. A hardened end thimble I83 is inserted in the end of the bushing where the incoming wire strands contact the end of the bushing as they are laid on the shafting I. The holder I8I is provided with an enlarged base portion I84, having a pair of spaced parallel and horizontal bores I85 therethrough, and is carried on a pair of parallel rods I85 secured in end plates I87 and I88. Coil springs I 89 and I99 are carried on the rods I88 between the end of the base portion I84 and the end plate I88 and also between the opposite end of the base plate and stop collars I95. This permits adjustment of the position of the winding tool and the coil springs I89 and I98, and this arrangement will take up any shock or jar to which the shafting being wound may be subjected. The end of the base portion I84 opposite the outer end of the bushing I80 carries an upwardly extending partition I95 having a screw threaded opening therein for the retention of a wire guiding and draw plate I92. This plate'has a central opening !93 in axial alinement with the bore of the bushing I38 and a plurality of wire receiving openings I94 radially and circumferentially arranged about the central opening. Wires 2| from the supply spools 23 mounted on a swivelable carrier are fed through the openings I94 and t0 the bushing I83 where they are guided and wound upon the moving shafting 7. It will be observed that the opening I93 of the plate I92 and the bore of bushing I89 are in axial alinement and register with the opening in hollow driven shaft I3I of the winding head 25. The layer being wound up on the initial shafting I is indicated by numeral I15.

This novelmethod of forming large diameter flexible shafting and apparatus for carrying out the method allows exceptionally long lengths of shafting to be manufactured in a semi-automatic manner and within a comparatively small space.

What I claim is: 1. In a flexible shafting forming machine, in combination therewith of a winding tool for applying a plurality of continuous wire helices to the exterior'of a longitudinally moving and rotating flexible shafting core being carried through said machine, said winding tool comprising a horizontal tube mounted in a holder through which said core is drawn, a vertical plate positioned in spaced relation to said tube, said plate having'a-central aperture therein alined with the said tube and a series of radially spaced wire passages circumfer'entially arranged about said central aperture andmeans for adjusting the relative position of the adjacent end of said tube withrespect to said vertical plate and wherein the said tube holder and said vertical plate are integrally joined to a connecting base portion with the said connecting base portion being mounted on spaced apart parallel rods with the ends of th rods secured at their ends to longitudinally spaced brackets.

2. A flexible shafting machine and winding tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said base has longitudinal bores therethrough for the reception of the ends of said rods which are afilxed in sockets, and springs surrounding said rods between the said base and the rod end sockets whereby'the base is resiliently cushioned in both longitudinal directions. v

3. A flexible shafting machine and winding tool as defined in claim 1 wherein the said central aperture and circumferentially and radially spaced wire passages are formed in a disc which is removable from an opening formed in the said vertical plate.

4. A winding tool for applying a wire'helix to a linear moving and revolving member comprising a U shaped member mounted on a support with the spaced legs of the U shaped member upstanding, a horizontal tube carried in an opening through one of said legs and 'adraw plate carried in the other of said legs, said plate having a central opening therein aligned with the said tube and a series of wire directing openings therein circumferentially arranged in'spaced relation to the said central aperture and wherein the said horizontal tube is externally threaded for adjustable positioning in the opening through one of the legs of the U shaped member and the draw plate is threaded into an opening passing through the other of said legs.

5. A w in ding tool as defined in claim fl wherein the U shaped member is provided with a pair of horizontal and parallel arranged openings extending throughthe base thereof, and rods passing through said openings whereby said U shaped melmber may be adjustably positioned on said ro s.

CLARENCE F. HOTCHKISSJR. 

